Feisty Kate
by dabbling
Summary: This is a teenage Little Joe story. He helps out a friend who has an unusual request. Previously posted on Behind the Wagon.
1. Chapter 1

Feisty Kate

Chapter 1

"No, I won't do it! It's ridiculous!" Little Joe's green eyes burned and he angrily slapped his saddle over the rail of the stall.

"Why? Are you afraid?"

The teen spun on his heels and faced her. He stared at her and said each word very slowly, "You're...a...girl. It's ridiculous!" He turned back toward the stall.

Kate found herself fighting back tears. "I would expect this from Hoss, but not from you." With that, the tears came in full, and she sat down on the floor and cried into her sleeve.

"Aw, Kate!" Little Joe walked over to her and sat beside her. He rubbed her back with his hand. "Why ya need to know how to fight, anyway?"

He waited for her sobbing to subside. "My Aunt Dodie is coming from Kansas. She's bringing some man with her. They're gonna make me marry him, Joe, I just know it!"

Joe touched her chin and turned her face towards his. Very gently, he spoke, "Well. what's so wrong with that?"

Angrily, she snatched her face away from his and the sobs began anew. "I don't even know him, Joe!"

Little Joe could feel the growing knot in his stomach. He hated to see a friend, especially female, so upset. But no matter how hard he tried, he just didn't understand why this was such a big deal, and why she would need to know how to fight. He sighed heavily. "Kate," he began, "I still don't understand your thinkin', but if learnin' to fight will make you feel better, I'll do it. I'll show you how."

The girl turned and looked searchingly at her friend. "You mean it, Joe?"

He nodded.

"Oh, Joe! Thank you!" Relief washed over her, and she fell into his arms. He held her a moment.

"We'll start tomorrow afternoon. I'll meet you at Kissing Rock."

She dried her eyes on her sleeves and smiled at him. "I'll be there." She surprised him with a peck on the cheek, mounted her horse, and rode away.

Joe put some oats in Cochise's stall and headed for the ranch house. Hoss was on the porch, watching Kate ride away. "What was that all about?"

"Hmmm? Oh, nothin'," Joe said, realizing he couldn't tell his family about it. "she was just kinda upset, wanted to talk to somebody."

Hoss tried to supress a grin. He glanced at the girl's fading figure, then at the barn, then at his brother. "Yeah, talk. Sure."

Joe sighed and rolled his eyes, then went into the house as Hoss guffawed.

* * *

"All right." Joe looked at her and sighed.

"What's the matter, Joe?"

"Couldn't you have worn pants or somethin'? I don't see how I'm gonna do this if you're in a dress."

"Sorry Joe, I didn't think of it. I'll wear pants next time."

"All right, tell you what..." Joe had been up almost all night, agonizing about how to teach the girl to fight without getting her hurt. "Come over here."

Obediently, she moved to stand directly in front of him.

"Now make a fist." The girl put both of her hands into tight little fists, her thumbs tucked inside her other fingers. "No, no, you can't do it that way, you'll break your thumbs." He pried her fingers open and placed her thumbs on the outside, then showed her how to turn her thumb so it didn't stick out. "There, that's good."

She smiled. Little Joe couldn't help but notice how pretty she was. He gulped and tried to shake that feeling away. "Now, I'm gonna stand here, and I want you to hit me in the stomach, as hard as you can."

"Well, which hand do I use?"

"Use the one you write with."

Joe set himself, and she punched. He took the punch well, but was a little surprised at the strength behind it. "Now, see, that didn't hurt me one bit. When you're gonna fight somebody, you kinda tense yourself up, so that when you get hit, it doesn't hurt so much. Especially your stomach. If you ever get hit in the stomach when you're not ready, oh, boy, does that hurt!"

"Okay, now you hit me. I'm ready."

Joe glanced down at Kate's slender waist and gulped. "N-no, not just yet. Let's keep working on your punches."

* * *

"Well, good afternoon, Joseph. Nice of you to grace us with your presence this afternoon." The sarcasm in his father's tone was unmistakeable. Joe just smiled, since there didn't seem to be any good way to respond.

"I wonder where my youngest has spending all his time lately," Ben mused.

"I don't reckon it would be with that Kate McGill, now would it," Hoss said, his eyes sparkling with laughter.

"I've just been helping her out with something, that's all. There's nothing else to it."

"Helping her with what?" Adam asked, 'Kissing lessons?!"

As his family laughed, Joe could feel his neck and face turning bright red. "And you people wonder why I don't talk to you." He headed to the kitchen to get away from them all.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"All right, now, a big part of winning a fight is being able to dodge or block the punches thrown by your opponent. Now I'm gonna fight you this time, but we'll go real slow, so nobody gets hurt, okay?" She nodded. Joe threw a very slow left, and touched her cheek with his open hand. She grunted and stepped back.

"Okay, so how come I got you with that one?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, what did you think I was gonna do?"

"I thought you were gonna swing with the other hand."

"Right, and so you had your eyes glued to my right hand and had no idea that my left was headed for your jaw."

"Oh..."

"Look, Kate, when you fight somebody, you really don't know what they're gonna do. And any chance they get to trick you, they will. So you keep your eyes glued right here," he said, pointing to a point on his chest just below his adam's apple.

She wrinkled up her face in confusion.

"Don't believe me, do you?"

She grinned sheepishly.

"All right we'll try it. Look right here." He gestured to the spot again, and once he saw her eyes there, he began throwing slow motion punches. She dodged them all until she got excited about it and laughed.

"Pretty good, for a girl!" They went a few more rounds, Joe coaching her not to break her concentration. She was definitely getting better at it.

"Let's take a break," Joe suggested. "I stole some of Hop Sing's cookies from the kitchen before I left," he explained, pulling the small sack out of his saddlebags. They sat down together, leaning against a rock, and Joe handed her a cookie.

"How am I doing, Joe? Really, I mean?"

"You're doing great, just great!" His eyes twinkled when he said it, and she showed him her winning smile. His heart jumped a little in his chest, but he pushed that feeling aside and cleared his throat. "Look, Kate, can you try again to explain this to me? For the life of me, I can't figure out why you wanna fight."

"I told you, Joe, My aunt is bringing this man with her!"

"Yeah, but Kate, people get married like that all the time. I just don't understand. Are you gonna knock him out at the wedding or something?"

She sighed and set her cookie down on her pantleg. "Maybe it's something only girls talk about, Joe, but I've heard stories..."

A wisp of her hair had strayed out of the bun on her head and was curling deliciously over her delicate cheekbone. "What kind of stories?" he asked, surprised at how quietly he'd spoken.

"A lot of girls, they get married like that, and their husbands... well, they force them to do things they're not ready for. Haven't you ever noticed how when a couple gets married, very often, you don't see the wife again until a few months after the wedding?"

"Well sure, but I just figured it was because they were," his face turned red and he gulped, "honeymoonin'."

"I can't tell you how many times I've been told it's because of bruises."

As the realization took root, Joe felt the anger creeping through his body. He looked again at Kate's beautiful cheek, and his face flushed when he pictured it bruised. He shook the thought away. "But it can't happen all the time. I would never do something like that to a woman. I can't believe I'm the only man around who feels that way."

She half smiled and looked down. "Yes, Joe, you're right, and it's every girl's prayer that her husband will be someone like...you," She gulped, having said the words before she thought how they would sound, "but I don't know this man. I have no idea if he'll be sweet and kind... or if he'll be some kind of tyrant."

They sat in silence a moment, watching the clouds float lazily overhead. "Kate?"

"Yes Joe?"

"Suppose this fella is mean, and you fight back. Don't you think that might make things worse?"

"I dunno, Joe, I guess I never thought of that... but suppose that he shows up in town, and I can't stand him. Maybe if I fight him before we get married, he won't wanna marry me! I could get out of the whole mess!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Joe headed straight for the stairs when he entered the house, hoping he could make it to his room before his family questioned him. Unfortunately for him, his father was coming downstairs after retrieving something from his own room. They met on the stairs.

"Joseph?!" Ben asked, gripping the boy's arms. "What happened?"

"Oh, Pa, it was nothin'. I don't wanna talk about it," Joe said as he tried to move past his Pa toward his room.

"Nothin'?" Ben said, pulling the boy back where he could see him. "You don't get a shiner like that from just nothin'."

Joe winced and drew away when his father's fingers touched his swollen eye. Katie had really nailed him at practice today. She'd felt terrible about it, but at the same time proud. Joe was proud of her, too. Little Joe pleaded with his Pa, "I really don't wanna talk about it, Pa. Just let me be."

Slowly, Ben conceded. He straightened Joe's jacket as he let go of him.

"Whatcha got there, Pa?" Hoss asked as Ben walked past him, heading for the stairs.

"It's a steak for Joe's eye," Ben explained.

"He got in a fight?" Hoss asked.

"Seems so."

As he watched his father go upstairs, Hoss glanced over at Adam. "I thought he was spending his afternoons with that Katie McGill," he said.

Adam pondered for a moment and then suggested, "Maybe she gave him the black eye."

Hoss' laughter filled the room.

They were both winded from their workout. Kate gently touched Joe's cheek with her finger. "I sure am sorry about your eye, Joe," she said.

He took her hand in his and lowered it. "C'mon, now, it's nothing." Feeling her hand in his, Joe's heart began to pound. Hastily, he let her go. "Well, Kate, that's it. I think I've taught you everything I can. The only thing you can do now is get in a real fight and see how it works." He winked at her. "I don't recommend it, though."

"Oh, Joe!" She hugged him tightly and he sensed that she was crying. Torn between wanting to console her and not wanting to get too close, Joe held her silently.

"He'll be here tomorrow. Mother got a telegram today."

"Shhh," Joe consoled her. "You'll be fine. That's what all this hard work was for, right?" He gave her a gentle squeeze, and enjoyed the feel of her in his arms. After some time, she turned her face towards his, and before he knew it, Joe was kissing her.

Abruptly, she pulled away. "No, no, Joe, I can't!" She ran to her horse, mounted, and galloped away, leaving Joe standing, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Hello, Joe, how was Kate today?" Adam asked, that all-too-familiar smirk on his face.

Joe stopped in his tracks and scowled at his older brother. "You know somethin', Adam? I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your little remarks to yourself!"

"Gee, what's eatin' you?"

"Nothin'," Joe snarled, and flopped down on the settee. He rested one boot on the coffee table and stared angrily at the empty fireplace.

Adam sat up and looked at his brother overtop the book he was reading. Joe was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't notice. Slowly, Adam put his book down on the coffee table. "Care to talk about your troubles?" he asked quietly. Joe continued to stare. "Joe?"

Snapping out of it, Joe stood and headed for the kitchen. "No," he said.

The next morning, Joe dressed in his finest suit. When he joined his family at the breakfast table, he was met with whistles and compliments. Little Joe just grinned, draped his napkin over his lap, and began filling his plate.

The family watched him with interest. Finally, Ben broke the silence. "Big plans today, son?"

Joe wiped his mouth and took a sip of coffee. "Yeah, uh, Kate McGill. Her family's got a big thing goin' today, and she invited me to come over."

"Kate McGill?" Hoss said, rasing his tone and smirking. Adam gave him a warning glance, but Hoss missed it. "You been spendin' an awful lot of time with her lately, ain't you Joe?"

Joe ignored him, and stared at his eggs.

"You ain't goin' over there today to talk to her Pa, are ya?! Ow!" Hoss shouted after Adam's foot kicked him under the table.

"If you must know, brother, her family's invited a fella from Kansas down. That's what all the hub-bub is. She's gonna marry him." With that, Joe left the table and walked outside.

"Why can't you keep your big mouth shut, Hoss!" Adam growled.

"Well I didn't know, Adam!"

"I was tryin' to tell you!"

"I didn't know!"

"That's enough, boys," Ben said, as each man finished their final sentence.

"...had no idea what you were gettin' at."

"...dumber than a post sometimes."

"Boys." Both men hushed, and a silence settled over the table. Finally, Ben could stand it no longer. "Well, Adam, would you care to fill me in?"

"I don't know the details, Pa, I just think that Joe really cares for this girl. When I poked fun of him yesterday he nearly bit my head off. I guess now we know why."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After doing his morning chores at the ranch, Joe mounted Cochise and rode to Kate's house. The closer he got, the more he dreaded being there...but she'd asked him to come. She was scared to death, and he was the only friend she had right now. When he saw her house come into view, he began to hope that she would get into a fight and scare the man away.

He knocked on the door, and was greeted by Kate's mother. "Oh, hello, Joseph, come on in. Kate told me she invited you over. I think it's just wonderful," she continued as he removed his hat and followed her inside to be seated in a chair in the sitting room, "that she has a friend like you, whom she can spend time with and not have to worry about romance."

Joe tried to smile at the woman as she took his hat, but he was sure it was unconvincing. Fortunately, she was too preoccupied to notice.

"I was afraid you wouldn't show up," she said from behind him.

Joe spun around in his chair and gasped when he saw her. She was beautiful. He hadn't seen her in a dress in a month, and now, to see her in her finest, with her hair curled and piled up on her head, and just a touch of rouge...

He swallowed hard. "Of course I'm here. You asked me to come," he whispered. "You look beautiful."

She blushed and looked down at the floor. "Thank you."

"Where is everybody?" he asked, standing, to lead her to a seat of her own. Once she was seated, he went back to his own chair.

"Mama's cooking, Daddy's trying to get the chores done before everyone gets here. Aunt Dodie and Marcus stayed in town last night. They're to arrive here at noon." She looked at his hands, which were resting lightly on his pants leg, pulling and pinching the fabric, then smoothing it back out. "About yesterday, Joe..." She brought her gaze up to meet his and continued, "I'm sorry. All I can say is I wish things were different." She stood. "I'd best go help Ma." He stood as she left the room, then collected his hat and walked outside, to the barn.

Her Pa was inside, putting fresh hay down in the stalls. "Need a hand, Mr. McGill?"

"Well, Little Joe, when'd you get here?!" McGill smiled at him and wiped the sweat from his brow. "No sense in you gettin' your good clothes mussed. I'm about finished here, anyhow." He went back to work. Joe took off his suit jacket and hung it on the wall. He began working in the stall adjacent to the one Kate's father was in.

"I won't get too wrinkled this way," Joe said as he worked. "You already took care of the hard work." After a few minutes, he took courage. "Mr. McGill, can I ask you somethin'?"

"Sure, Joe, anything."

"What do you know about this fella comin' to court Kate?"

The older man chuckled. "I know that my wife's sister thinks he's a prince, and she didn't even like me until I'd been married to Karen for 12 years." Upon seeing that this didn't seem to relax the boy, McGill stopped. "You got somethin' you wanna tell me, young man?"

Upon being confronted like this, Joe's heart was in his mouth. He could feel the sweat in his palms. "Well, sir, I just... I like Kate a lot you know, and well, I'm worried about her."

"Hmmm. Like her a lot, you say. That's good. You've been a real good friend to her lately." McGill went back to work.

Joe stood stunned. He was completely unsure of himself. Afraid to say more, he silently finished the task he'd begun and accompanied Mr. McGill back to the house.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Marcus Holleran, may I introduce Miss Kate McGill," Aunt Dodie said. Kate curtsied and Marcus took her hand.

"I'm so pleased to meet you, Kate," Marcus said quietly, staring into her eyes. Kate smiled shyly and look down as she stood back up.

"And this is a good friend of our family, Mr. Holleran, Joe Cartwright," Kate's father said, and Joe dutifully shook Marcus' hand.

"Well, I have dinner all laid out, so everyone into the dining room!" Mrs. McGill prompted. The group sat down at the table, Marcus being placed next to Kate, and Joe across from her.

Joe watched Kate and Marcus intently, trying to determine if they were interested in each other or not. As he imagined, Marcus was very interested in Kate, but he couldn't tell from Kate's responses if she was interested or just being polite to Marcus.

"What do you do, Cartwright?" Holleran asked.

"My family owns a ranch near here. I help run it."

"I'm afraid Joe's being modest, Mr. Holleran. The Ponderosa is the biggest ranch in these parts."

"Is that so? Must be quite a job running such a large operation."

"Yes, sir, it is, but my family and I manage it."

"I know in Abilene, it's always the worst time of year to be in town when the cattle drive comes through." Marcus absently took a bite of his bread, realizing too late that he'd just insulted Joe. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. It's just that the cowhands all come to town to cut loose, and usually they get a little out of hand."

"Well, sir, drivin' cattle's a difficult, uncomfortable, dirty job. I know goin' to town at the end of a long drive is somethin' I always look forward to."

Rather than stick his foot farther in his mouth, Marcus decided to drop the subject. He asked for more peas, and complimented the ladies on their fine cooking. After dinner, the men went outside. Mr. McGill and Marcus shared a smoke. Joe stood with them on the porch, pretending to admire the view of the horizon.

"I think I'll have Kate show you around the ranch, Mr. Holleran. I'm quite proud of it, you see," suggested McGill.

"That sounds quite nice, Mr. McGill. I'd be delighted."

Joe thought Kate's father may have glared at him as he was walking back inside, but he shoved that thought out of his mind. "You say you're in sales, Holleran?" Joe asked.

"That's right, hardware. Tools for farm and home."

"Must be hard. Spendin' all that time cooped up in an office, never gettin' to enjoy the sunshine."

"I manage. Cartwright, is this some kind of rebuttal for what I said earlier?"

"Holleran, don't those rowdy cowhands buy hardware from you when they come through Abilene?"

Marcus licked his lips and leveled his gaze on Joe. "Yes, they do." Holleran's ire was up, and he was ready to let it loose. "Come to think of it, weren't you there last Spring? I seem to recall the Sheriff had someone in custody..."

Joe's punch landed square on his jaw, but Holleran barely flinched. He spit the blood out of his mouth and shoved Joe to the other side of the porch. Then he carefully removed his jacket. He ducked when Joe came at him again, and punched the boy in the kidneys. Joe fell to his knees, but staggered right back up.

The fight became more and more intense, Joe landing one punch for every three of the older man. Holleran was much bigger than Joe, built as if he were meant to do blacksmithing or some such heavy work. To Joe, his punches were almost as bad as Hoss'.

Having fallen to the ground again, Joe climbed back to his feet and rushed Holleran. The man dodged his punch, causing Joe to land one right on the oak porch post. He held his hand in pain, and did not see Holleran's fist coming toward him. With this last punch, Joe resigned himself to staying on the ground.

"You think I don't know what this is about, boy? I saw the way you looked at her. But she's mine, Cartwright. Everything's been arranged. And I'm not about to let a...boy... stand in my way."

"Why Mr. Holleran, I don't think anything's been arranged at all," Kate said from the doorway. Both she and her father stood together, having witnessed the end of the fight.

"Miss McGill, I'm afraid you misunderstand-" Holleran began.

She moved to stand in front of him and glanced at Little Joe. "You all right, Joe?"

Joe stood up in response to her question, noting that she had curled her hands into fists.

"I think you misunderstand, Mr. Holleran. This meal today was to give you and my daughter an opportunity to meet, to see if you might get along. Nothing has been arranged. Now, I don't know what started this fight, but I know Little Joe, and I don't know you. And I think I've seen about as much of you as I care to," McGill spoke.

Holleran smiled apologetically and took Kate's hand. "It was a pleasure, Miss McGill. I am sorry it had to end this way."

As he leaned over to kiss her hand, she landed a right hook on his cheek. It was all Joe could do to contain his laughter. "You hear me, Holleran, and you hear me well. I don't take well to folks that insult and then hurt my friends. And I'd rather be kissed by a smelly old hound than by the likes of you." With determination, she turned and helped Joe into the house.

* * *

The moonlight seemed to hide most of Joe's cuts and bruises. He lay on the wagon, hands behind his head, looking up at the stars. Kate was beside him, trying to find the constellations he was pointing out.

"Hey, I have a present for you," Joe said, and got up to root around under the wagon seat. He pulled out a package, tied with a string. "Go on, open it," he encouraged.

"Joe, you didn't have to-"

"Open it," he said.

She did, and pulled out a large, oversized belt. She seemed confused, and so Joe directed her hand to a paper that would explain the gift. She read, "Awarded this fifteenth day of July, 1859, to Miss Kate McGill, of Virginia City, Nevada Territory. Miss McGill is henceforth to be known as boxing champion, 'Feisty Kate' until such time as an appropriate challenger should defeat her, and thus earn this title." She put the paper down and looked at her friend. "Joe! I can't believe you!"

"What? Word gets around, Kate! That package came all the way from Carson City, you know!"

She leaned over and poked him in the ribs. "You should be careful. Teasing a champion can be a dangerous business, you know."

"Yeah, well maybe I'd like to have a go at that title."

"You think so, huh?" She sat up on her haunches. "I've already blackened your eye once Joe Cartwright, don't tell me you'd like another!"

With that he lunged forward, grabbing her by the waist. She playfully swung at him until he pulled her down and they kissed.

THE END


End file.
